2006 Gymnastics Outlook

There are two things that head coach John Spini can rely on in the 2006 gymnastics season that the team did not have last year. Those are depth and a new state-of-the-art training facility. After an injury-plagued 2005, which left the team with only eight able gymnasts, the team has bounced back healthy, with lots of new faces and with new goals.

"Last season we really didn't set the standard high," says Spini who is the dean of ASU coaches in his 26th season. "We were more concerned about keeping the girls healthy and did not push them to their max. This season, we have so much depth that the girls can keep getting better and compete for starting spots. We can spread the talent."

And the Sun Devils will do it in a brand new gym, perhaps the finest collegiate training facility in the nation.

The Sun Devils will be led by their two senior captains, Ashley Kelly of York, Penn. and Lauren Powell of Feeding Hills, Mass. Kelly, the 2004 National Champion on the beam, is one of Arizona State's most decorated gymnasts in history. Powell has shown the team her dedication by coming back fast from injury and even stronger than before. Kelly and Powell are both strong contributors in the all-around.

"Ashley and Lauren are both outstanding on and off the floor," says Spini. "They are both good examples in school and they outwork everyone in the gym. It is nice to have the two leaders be the hardest workers. They set the bar high."
Spini is also looking at his three juniors -- April Boone of Seattle, Wash., Cassandra Jusino of Gresham, Ore. and Lisa Lanza of Scottsdale, Ariz. -- to bolster the team's success. Boone was the lone Sun Devil to compete in the 2005 NCAA Championships, placing 14th in the All-Around.

"April did well at NCAAs. She hit all four events which was hard without her team being there to support her," says Spini. "It was a good experience for her. She is a far better athlete this year. She is very consistent, especially on the vault and floor."
Jusino is also expected to contribute in the all-around once again and is to be especially strong on the floor and vault.

"Cassandra is so explosive and dynamic," says Spini.

Spini can also count on Lanza being ready to step up whenever she is needed. She competed last season for the first time, helping out mostly on the bars and beam. "Lisa is a solid competitor," says Spini. "She has a very good bar routine."

The Sun Devils also have two very capable sophomores. Josie Hancock of Mesa, Ariz. and Karissa Vossler of Reno, Nev. were both injured last year and look to contribute more this year. Hancock is expected to compete on everything but the bars and will make a big impact on the vault.

"We are really excited about Josie," says Spini. "Due to her shoulder injury, we did not see until the end what she is capable of and what we saw was very great things. She has beautiful dance and is very consistent."

Vossler is coming off a knee injury which caused her to miss all of last season. She will contribute on everything but the vault.
"Karissa did an excellent job of getting healthy," says Spini. "She is stronger this year than she was last year. If there is an injury she will be ready to step up and help us."

Perhaps the group that Spini is most excited about is the freshman class. Nicole Harris (Long Beach, N.Y.), Tia Orlando (Emmaus, Penn.), Ashlee Hinkle (Glendale, Ariz.), Ashley Toner (Mesa, Ariz.), Tiana Jean (Mesa, Ariz.), Vanessa Rocca (Wexford, Penn.) and Carrie Finley (Doylestown, Penn.) make up the freshman class this year.

"We are really excited about this class," says Spini. "They are extremely talented and many of them will instantly make an impact."

Harris is looked upon as being a competitor in the all-around while she could be an especially big contributor on the bars. "Nicole is very polished," says Spini. "She has beautiful lines and dance. She is very flexible and very dynamic and consistent."
Orlando is another powerful gymnast. She will compete in the all-around with her strength being on the floor. Hinkle is also expected to start for the Devils. Although she came in battling an injury, she is now healthy and has improved, especially on the beam and floor.

Toner and Jean are graduating from high school at the semester break. Jean is expected to start on the bars. Although young, both are expected to be very talented on the floor, beam and bars. Rocca and Finley round out the freshman class as walk-ons. Rocca will be used on beam and floor while Finley's strength is on vault.

"This year we are very excited to have such a large team," says Spini. "We will be able to push the girls to keep getting better and better. I am very excited about the freshman class as well. We should do really well this year. Our goal is to get to the Super Six and contend for the National Championship."

Uneven Bars
The Sun Devils will look to freshman Harris to lead them on this event. "Nicole has big strength on the bars," says Spini. Spini will also be looking at captains Kelly and Powell to lead this event. Kelly posted three 9.900s last year and placed third in the Pacific-10 Conference Championships with a 9.875. Powell tallied two 9.875's last season.
Jusino is also looking to step up on the bars. "Cassandra is very consistent on the bars, but needs to work on her skills," says Spini. Jean is also expected to step up in the lineup on bars. "We will look to give Tiana a stronger routine if we see she is consistent," says Spini. Junior Lisa Lanza will also compete on bars.

Vault
The vault is a prime example of the differences in depth between last year to this year. "We have a number of choices this year for the vault." says Spini, "Seven of our girls have vaults that start at a 10.0 so girls are actually competing for spots now." Last year the team had five girls that could start from a 10.0.

Kelly is again looking to be a leader in this event, as is Boone who is coming off a trip to the National Championships last year. The Sun Devils are also looking at Jusino and Hancock to end the lineup. "Cassandra is a huge dynamic power on the vault," says Spini, "and Josie is also very talented. We're expecting great things from them."

Hinkle is expected to be a surprise starter on the vault this year. "We did not recruit her for the vault, but she stepped up and will most likely be a starter," says Spini. Orlando and Powell are also expected to start in the vault lineup.

Balance Beam
As in past seasons, the beam is expected to be the Sun Devils strongest event. Every member of the team trains for the beam and it is the most competitive event. 2004 balance beam National Champion Kelly will again be the anchor in this event. Last year Kelly tied for first on the beam at the Pac-10 Championships for the second year in a row. "Ashley is so solid and beautiful on the beam," says Spini.

Harris is right up there and is expected to line up before the anchor. Powell, Boone, Orlando, Hancock and Jean will also be contributors on the beam.

Floor Exercise
This year, the floor exercise will be an exciting event for the Sun Devils. "We have a lot of big, powerful tumblers," says Spini, "There is a lot of depth on the floor." Orlando is looked upon to lead the team on the floor. "Tia is so powerful," says Spini, "She has amazing tumbling and a rare consistency."

Kelly is looked at to be a big contributor again this year. Jusino is another veteran that is expected to have a big season on the floor. Last year, Jusino posted a 9.950 and two 9.90s. Hancock, Powell, Hinkle, Jean, Toner and Harris are also competing for starting positions on the floor.

All Arounders
There are six women expected to compete in the all-around. Last season Boone went to the NCAA Championships and placed 14th in the all-around. She is again expected to compete in this competition.

The Sun Devils also have their two senior captains competing in the all-around, which is rare. Both Kelly and Powell are looked at being two of the top competitors in this event. Jusino is another veteran in the all-around competition.

Rounding out the all-around will be two freshmen -- Orlando and Harris. "All six of the women expected to compete in the all-around are extremely talented," says Spini.

The Coaching Staff
One of Arizona State's most decorated coaches, John Spini, enters his 26th year with two new assistant coaches. Former Sun Devil All-American Maggie Germaine joins the coaching staff to help train the Sun Devils. Her primary coaching responsibilities will be on the floor exercise and the balance beam. Germaine, who earned All-American honors three times, was a member of the Sun Devil gymnastics squad from 2001 to 2004 and earned Pac-10 All-Academic honors three times. Bob Peterson is temporarily stepping in the assistant coaching position. "Bob is a great spotter and is very good with the girls," says Spini.

The Schedule
The Sun Devils open their season against Boise State in Boise, Idaho on January 13. Then, they jump into Pac-10 competition with their home opener against in-state rival Arizona on January 22. After a trip to Seattle, Washington on January 27 where they compete against Washington and Seattle-Pacific, the Sun Devils have consecutive home meets as they battle Utah on February 3 and Stanford on February 10. They then travel to Los Angeles for a meet against powerhouse UCLA on February 19. On February 24, the Sun Devils host the annual UNO's Classic against Oregon State, Boise State and University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. The Sun Devils round out the season against California (March 3), Iowa State (March 10) and Denver (March 18). The Pac-10 Championships follow on March 25 on a familiar floor at Oregon State.

"The Pac-10 Conference is always tough," says Spini. "UCLA will be an exciting challenge. Competing against Arizona will be good as a first home meet. We're also excited to go against Utah; they're supposed to be good this year. We just want to be ranked high early and be known as a dominating team that is supposed to get high scores. Our standards are high this year; our goal is to get to the NCAAs. We want to be in the Super Six and challenge for a national championship."

The Facility
This season marks the first season in years that the Sun Devils will be practicing on campus. The new gymnastic facility is located next to the new wrestling practice facility, adjacent to Farrington Softball Stadium.

"The new facility is state of the art," says Spini. "We have equipment that no other team has in the country. We can film anything and have the girls watch their routines on flat screens.

"It is very nice to be back on campus and see Maroon and Gold when you are practicing. We feel like we are part of the school again. I'd like to thank all the donors for all their extraordinary donations."